When ex-Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst announced in May 2022 that Jon McLaughlin was to be the new number one over Allan McGregor, Ibrox Noise put our collective heads in our hands, knowing it would be the worst decision the-then manager would ever make. Well, aside giving Aaron Ramsey a penalty…
McLaughlin was a truly, utterly, staggeringly atrocious goalkeeper who could not believe his luck that Steven Gerrard wanted him at Rangers. We couldn’t believe his luck either.
While as a deputy he was ‘passable’, and barely at that, it wasn’t till he actually got minutes that we saw how dreadful he was.
We know that some fans thought he was the bees’ knees during 55 because he kept clean sheets, but all of those matches in that run he got were against bottom 6 sides. The one draw he faced and goals conceded were against a top 6 side, Hibs.
In simple terms, he was absolutely mince against anything better than Ross County, and when Gio made him first choice, we were literally exasperated.
We had to be supportive, but boy was he honking. He is a League Two level goalie who couldn’t believe his luck to be keeping goal for Rangers in the Champions League, and he sure leaked the goals while he was in there.
That farce at Parkhead about summed his ability up.
In fairness, his wage wasn’t a drain – he was barely £6K a week, but we are truly glad he’s gone, because there was a speck of arrogance about him where he dismissed any criticism and just said he was ‘better than that’ pretty much.
Rangers struggled at the back after 55, and McLaughlin in goals for 22/23 was a tragic call from the boss – which, at the time, the majority of Rangers fans supported and believed he had earned his chance. We can show you the polls if you don’t believe us.
Ibrox Noise did not agree.
As it is, he leaves, and he will probably retire now because the best he’ll do is a League Two reserve goalkeeping coaching position or something.
We are really, really glad the club did not have a brain fart and sign him to another deal.
A two year extension? Really? Thanks for that one Ross Wilson. Thank you very much.